Around the Mission: 3/26 Padres Links

Websoulsurfer: The Myth of the $42 million Padres Payroll.
"Being extremely generous in salaries, the Padres are still under $40 million."

The Friarhood - Friarhood Radio: Interview with Jeff Dotseth
"Jeff Dotseth of XTRA Sports 1360 joined Friarhood radio to talk Padres baseball. We touched on new ownership, the direction of the Padres, Aaron Cunningham, Heath Bell and of course Adrian Gonzalez"

LeBlanc is making Padres’ decision tough " NCTimes.com Blogs
"Wade LeBlanc is exuding confidence this spring. Actually, exude might not be a strong enough description."

Padres Trail: Mauer, Gonzo, and the Podcast
"Gonzo has a lot of similarities with Mauer - hometown guy, best player on the team, cornerstone in the lineup, plus defender on the field. There are some significant differences, though. Mauer plays a more demanding position than Gonzo does. Mauer's won an MVP and 3 batting titles; Gonzo led the NL in walks last season and hasn't finished higher than 12th in the MVP voting. Gonzo thinks he's worth $18-20 million a year. Is that reasonable?"

The Official Blog of Matt Antonelli: TUCSON TRIP
"The trip took us a little more than two hours, which for Spring Training is a really long trip, but would be considered a cross town rival if you're in single or double A."

PADRES: Adams kills hitters with arm, teammates with wit
"Mike is definitely a part of our bullpen, let's put it that way," closer Heath Bell said of Adams' fun nature. "I bring stuff to the 'pen, and he's right there with me. I think I'm just a little more outspoken than him, but he's out there along with us. He has had some good ideas that maybe I've taken credit for. He's a bullpen guy and he lightens it up.

PADRES: Moorad closer to full owner
"We accomplished a lot and I think there's a lot more we have to do," Moorad said by phone. "But I'm optimistic. We're building and hopefully we're winning back a fan base and we've demonstrated a commitment to winning and the future."

Padres shifting from not so swift to fast lane - SignOnSanDiego.com
"Energy, just more energy," says All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez

Padres chat with U-T columnist Bill Center
Bill Center: "I think they have a chance to be better than .500. My guessimate is for 79-83 wins. I think they are a lot more fun to watch than the previous entries at Petco Park. I think there will be more buzz. "

Year makes big difference in arms race - SignOnSanDiego.com
"On the pitching side, there is no comparison to the situation of a year ago," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Night and day." This is the day.

Moorad: No money worries for group - SignOnSanDiego.com
"Our partnership has a $4 billion net worth."

Sale of Padres continues to be smooth transition - SignOnSanDiego.com
"At this point, the sale is going exactly as anticipated. I see no reason to accelerate the time schedule."

Young ends six innings with a flurry | padres.com: News
Chris Young became the first Padres starter to go six innings this spring, and Oscar Salazar capped a two-run rally in the seventh in Wednesday's 2-1 vicory over the Mariners.

S. Hairston happy to return to active duty | padres.com: News
Spending the last four days on a hushed Minor League backfield was enough to drive Padres outfielder Scott Hairston a little batty, even if he knew it was a means to returning to active duty.

LeBlanc shines in Padres' win | padres.com: News
Wade LeBlanc posted another stellar outing as the Padres earned a 5-3 victory over the White Sox on Thursday.

Cabrera tapping into potential | padres.com: News
The Padres don't yet know what to expect from shortstop Everth Cabrera, but they do know that he has shown the talent to succeed at the Major League level.

Padres hoping speed kills on the base paths
"We want the other team to feel it when we’re on the bases," Black said of the team’s base-running focus early in spring training.